firstngoal

Wow... did anyone notice that the Dallas/Fort Worth area already has 4 Nordstrom locations?... with a fifth on the way. Austin - with a quarter of the population of Houston - already has one with another coming to the Domain project. I find it really surprising that they have not announced another location in Houston... with its 5.5 million people and strong income growth in recent years. I really like Nordstrom stores... and am sickened by Macy's killing the Foley's and Marshall Field's names. Whatever mall gets a new Nordstrom location in the Houston area - whether it be existing or new - will undoubtedly benefit.

I think you are dead on. I don't live in Houston any longer, but get back often on business. I'm always amazed at how dull and lackluster the skyline appears at night... especially in comparison to cities with skylines that aren't nearly as impressive. I saw the Rockets game, too... and the shots in front of the Aquarium were lame-o. It looked like Lake Charles!... not America's 4th largest city. Regarding the energy argument... it find it amusing - and a little strange - that cities that tout themselves as "green" and progressive, such as Austin, Portland, and Seattle (where I currently live), have well-lit, beautiful skylines at night... while Houston, a city which consumes more energy than just about any other American city - and where air conditioners whirl 24 hours a day - can't seem to find the will or the leadership to market their skyline (which is really the city's most exciting visual element) at night. Billboards, furniture warehouses, and strip clubs light up the night sky much more than Houston's skyline... if people are concerned about lights drowning out the stars, start by eliminating that kind of light-blight first.... Hell, even if the owners of the Bank of America Tower would light up the setbacks of their building at night, the skyline would look 100% better! Oh, and would someone please unplug those cheap looking white Christmas lights on top of the Chase Tower and the Houston Center buildings??... that looks positively sad.

There is no need to comment on my ability to deal with architectural loss... c'mon, when you live in Houston, it is a constant. And I did mention that these were selfish feelings.... take me at face value when I say that. We have totally different views on this. Clearly places I cherish you could care less about. Things I view as cold you view as useful and important. What I view as a negative you view as a positive. Period.... and absolutely fine. Dead on. The lack of even the concept - or importance -of even minimal forms of preservation laws is what gets my ire up. The warehouse is - like all the other buildings on Allen Parkway I mentioned - just another example.

You are right about that. Life does go on... and in Houston, that means the same old wiping away of any history we ever had. I think I am entitled to express my feelings - as I was born and raised in H-town (in Montrose, in fact) - to show a little disgust and frustration that the places that are special to me have largely been destroyed to make away for mundane, if not remarkably cold, architecture (as are all of the examples I gave on Allen Parkway). Having a special place documented on paper (and, are you entirely sure about that?) or photographed for posterity brings me absolutely no comfort. And I am so tired of the consolation we talk ourselves into... "oh, we may have lost a historic building... but look what we are getting instead!" Can we not have both?? Uhhh, sure we can.... take a look at this example. http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=57&id=465 Alas, we don't have the resolve - or the creativity - in our community to make projects like this one in Portland work. Forgive my rant.... I know what I am saying - esp. to The Niche - is the rambling argument of a sentimental preservationist in a city where only the rich and powerful survive. Survival of the richest in a way... our way or the highway. Well, maybe so... and I now live in Seattle where I can enjoy the history of other people in this beautiful city. It just makes me really discouraged that MY history -in Houston - is going away forever. One more building gone... another opportunity squandered.... and a part of my connection with Houston sadly removed. Selfish on my part - yes... absolutely! But it is also another nail in the coffin in understanding what Houston was... and how we got to where we are today. And as the saying goes, "those who don't understand the past are doomed to repeat it." But, life goes on....

Rotate, yes. Destroy history, absolutely not. I hope everyone enjoys this new addition to the city and frequents it often.... kind of like the new Federal Reserve Building or The Royalton, right?? Both of these gems rose after historic Houston structures along Allen Parkway were demolished. But hey, who needs history??... we've got these beautiful, modern buildings that everyone just loves to take their place!! History is so overrated. Hey Houston, get the bulldozers ready for the River Oaks Theater... who needs the shoddy old piece of **** anyway. Read sarcasm... and lots of it.

I've done a lot of real estate work and analysis in Denver, so sounds like we both have access to the city on a regular basis. I understand what you are saying, but most of the retail on 16th was already there pre-Pavilions (I believe it entered the market around 2000). Tabor Center, as well as many of the buildings on 16th that have retail on the first floor, were well established long before the Pavilions project. I hate to sound like a pessimist - anything is better than the current parking lots in that part of downtown Houston. It is just that we are constantly settling in Houston... things that are trying to get done in Houston today happened 20 years ago in some places. For such a progressive and open-minded city, our development community is sadly behind the times. A project that was completed 7 years ago in Denver - to lackluster success - is not what Houston should be supporting or emulating.

Not so sure about what you mean by "Denver Pavilions has done great." There have been many casualties on the restaurant side - including Wolfgang Puck's restaurant. Other smaller retailers - esp. on the upper levels - are long, long gone. There are many vacancies. Have you been there?? The only portion of the development that does ok is the area that immediately faces 16th Street on ground level. Overall, retail sales have been so-so there.... many in Denver would say that it is not their first choice for a retail destination... even amongst retail centers downtown. Denver didn't need to build residential over the Pavilions project. With LoDo - which is down 16th Street from the Pavilions - flourishing, and now with the Platte River surging with new residential construction, downtown Denver is at least a decade ahead of downtown Houston on the residential side... and that is a best case scenario for downtown Houston. And that is my point... if there was one case for a new residential development in downtown Houston, it would be near amenities (retail, light rail, office jobs) as the Pavilions promises. If the developers can't make it work here (and with incentives, no less!), I am skeptical on creating any real residential density downtown. As Kinkaid stated - it is disappointing. We don't need another Bayou Place (which, I may add, is also heavily subsidized!!)...

I can tell you... and I will. If it was such a hot location for residential develoment, as you indicate, we would have seen some progress by now. I'll throw it back at you... tell me a developer (aside from Finger) who is racing downtown to develop multifamily or condo product. I'm totally with Kinkaid on this... the lack of a residential component in this project IS disappointing. I've recently moved to Seattle and there is so much residential development going on downtown - around and on top of retail space - it'll make your head spin. I would content if these guys can't make residential work on this site in Downtown Houston - with incentives, with a retail element, with A LIGHT RAIL STATION.... please, someone, tell me how can residential ever work downtown?? I love the new park (hate the name)... but it will take more... much more than that.... to create some residential momentum.

Quite simply, damage control....

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why waste time getting into it with folks that are set with their ideas on "property rights" and "capitalism is always first"?... (and always being contrarian.) We have some theaters to save people... let's get to work!!! I live in in the River Oaks Theater 'hood and the last thing I want is a condo tower looking down on me. Keeping the neighborhood in scale and preserving a valuable neighborhood asset (which generates lots of pedestrian traffic and civic pride!) are my priorities... and I'll do what I can to save these rare commodities in Houston. I'm appealling to my neighbors - and those of you who agree with me - to stay vigilant and keep the pressure on Weingarten. If you don't agree with me... c'est la vie! Have a good weekend all...

The "cul-de-sacs" serve as entry points into the concealed parking garage... and more importantly... there is a large pedestrian area between these two drives to serve the restaurants and foot traffic in the development. This is why (and where) the city is considering closing that block of Bolsover. There is not much through traffic on Bolsover anyway, so I say close it. How nice would it be to have a pedestrian plaza in the midst of the Rice Village? (as opposed to dodging cars every 10 feet!). I don't mind the design at all. It ties in with some of the architecture at nearby Rice University - which is also "faux Italian" or "faux Mediterranean" if we are honest about it... and I, for one, treasure that campus.

I have heard the exact same... and have total faith in my source. The question of the high-rise condo project on the theater site brought on a hearty chuckle from that same source....

For the most part; however, I do not doubt that the Rice University campus has a good - if not strong - architectural reputation. Thank goodness for that gem in the heart of our city... Our most recent government buildings are uninspired and disappointing. I hate to say this, but after such blunders as the Hobby Center parking garage, the new Court Building, and now the central fire station (all designed by Houston firms, I may add) - I think we would be better served to consider firms outside of Houston. It is pretty rare to find a prized Houston building designed by a Houston firm. I don't want to step on any toes here... but the evidence is there. If Houston is truly a global city (and I think it is!), let's start importing some progressive and forward-thinking design... as we did in our not so distant past! If anything, it would make architectural assignments more competitive for the design community here... and trigger better responses.

Well, I usually agree with you - but on this topic - not so much. I'm sure the people of Massachusetts really are loving that project... especially considering the deal they got out of it! Billions and billions over budget... and with the rest of the United States there to bail them out... sweet! Good for Boston. Meanwhile, we have to pay for the initial portion of our light rail system out of our own pockets... which no other city in America has had to bear. Soooo, Boston gets rewarded for ineptitude... Houston gets screwed every step of the way in trying to expand its transportation options. Unbelievable... I know, I know - part of the blame goes to our representatives in Congress - but I throw a lot of blame at Washington for not monitoring and correcting the debacle that was the Big Dig before it got so very out of hand. Anyway, if you have chosen Boston as home, good for you - it is a great town. It sounds as if development patterns and the planning strategy there are right up your alley. As Mayor White said last year, if Houston isn't for you, you need to vote with your feet and go elsewhere and find a place that is more to your liking (I couldn't believe he said that, but I heard it with my own ears). While I am not happy one bit about this CVS project on Main, I'm not feeling the outrage. I won't shop there... simple as that. Its not in my neighborhood... and while I don't mean to sound sublime about it... this is not surprising - Midtown seems to be losing a lot of momentum. I blame the city... I blame speculators (sorry, but I find it hard to listen to Midtown advocates / developers dissing a CVS when land speculators are asking ridiculous amounts for land in the area - and are in fact choking out residential growth)... I blame Greyhound... I blame transients... but all the blame in the world doesn't change a thing. Until Houston's majority really gives a flip about land use planning, smart growth, etc... we'll be hearing about lots of development like this. It is what it is. Texans aren't whimps. Either are New Englanders.

They still have a way to go... with the exception of a couple of new restaurants, the Joseph A. Bank. and the gym, the in-line mall space is still really tired. There was tweaking of the exterior... but essentially it is like putting make-up on a pig. I'd call it a major renovation when the entire retail area is updated and modified... I'm hoping the Pavilions and the new retail in the Park Tower puts more pressure on Crescent to take the renovations to the next level...